One local described the bizarre set-up as ‘a slalom of posts more suited to the Winter Olympics’ (Picture: SWNS)

A council has been slammed for the ‘barmy’ decision to install 60 bollards outside a Birmingham primary school.

Locals were left literally scratching their heads after spotting the spectacle on the A38 Bristol Road between Longbridge and Northfield.

Some claim the ‘unnecessary eyesore’ could actually prove dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians trying to navigate the street.

Mum-of-one Jessica Grant, 38, who lives nearby, said: ‘We’re all for traffic safety around a primary school but this just looks like a weird slalom of posts more suited to the Winter Olympics.

‘A simple fence or some barriers along the side of the road would have done the job but this is surely more expensive.

‘It’s an absolute eyesore too and if anything could prove more dangerous for cyclists or pedestrians trying to navigate it.

‘Delivery drivers have also been unable to park up and I hear parents have had difficulties too.

‘I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else to be honest.’

The council says the bollards are necessary to keep schoolchildren safe (Picture: SWNS)

The bollards first appeared outside Meadows Primary School, which caters for around 700 children, around 18 months ago.

But after a video of the sprawling 164ft stretch was shared on social media this week, the cluster of columns gained national notoriety.

Locals began to brand the safety project a complete waste of taxpayers’ cash.

Another local, who did not wish to be named, added: ‘Serious questions have to be asked of the council. It’s barmy. Who on earth thought this was a good idea?

Locals have to slalom through the posts to reach the school (Picture: SWNS)

‘We have had problems with parking near the school but this is an unnecessary eyesore and complete overkill by the council.

‘The first row nearest the road I sort of understand but the rest of them are just weird.’

Earlier, the World Bollard Association tweeted an image of some bollards outside a shop in Asia with the caption: ‘There’s no such thing as too many bollards.’

One web user replied with footage of the Birmingham stretch and wrote: ‘The A38 between Longbridge & Northfield (Birmingham) would seem to agree.’

Birmingham City Council said the number of bollards reflected the ‘scale of the problem’ on the road.

A spokesperson said: ‘We receive regular complaints from residents about inconsiderate and dangerous parking outside the school.

‘We are working with the school to help challenge this behaviour and encourage walking and cycling where appropriate, but unfortunately the number of bollards that have been installed demonstrates the scale of the problem.

‘We will continue to encourage parents to consider other forms of transport and to consider others when dropping off children at school.’

But others have branded the project a ‘waste’ of taxpayers’ money (Picture: SWNS)

Last year, there was similar bafflement after a bollard set-up in Leicestershire – that had been in place since 2020 – went viral.

Child-shaped bollards stand to attention across the village of Stoney Stanton and watch stonily as cars pass a local school.

Andrew Copson, posting the clip on Twitter last summer, had written: ‘Because no one ever believes me when I tell them that one of our neighbouring villages has made their bollards look like Midwich cuckoo style children, I have recorded the ghastly proof on video.’

‘It is worse at night’, he added.

Creepy…or clever? (Picture: Roland Leon)

The bollards divided internet users who seem torn on whether they are a useful reminder to slow down, or a distraction that could lead to crashes.

One person responded on Twitter: ‘Village of the Damned after the council hired Medusa as a school crossing attendant.’

Another user joked: ‘Cue all the bus drivers pulling up for the one by the bus stop thinking it’s an actual person.’

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‘This just looks like a weird slalom of posts more suited to the Winter Olympics.’